Automatic cut-out device for electric circuits.



No. 839,048. PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906 w. 0. TAYLOR. AUTOMATIC OUT-OUT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.3.1905.

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6W EM 7HE Nomzls PEYERS ca wasmumozv, n cy UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM O. TAYLOR, OF LIMERICK SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OUT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial No. 289.404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM O. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Limerick Square, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Automatic Cut-Out Devices for Electric Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of electric cut-out devices which are employed in connection with electric gas-lighting systems or for other uses where it is advisable to break the circuit after it has been maintained for a predetermined time.

The objectof my invention is to so construct such acut-out device as to provide for the eiiective action of an electromagnet constituting part of the same to permit of the ready resetting of the apparatus or reestablishment of the circuit after the same has beenbroken', and to insure the formation of a proper spark at the burner in case the device is 'used in connection with an electric gaslighting system.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation, of an automatic electric cut-out device constructed in accordance with my invention, the parts being shown in the relation occupied by them when the circuit is completed; and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing theparts in the relation occupied by them when the circuit is broken. I

1 represents a suitable base, upon which is mounted, by means of appropriate end standards-2 2, a switch-operating electromagnet 3, consisting of a single coil whose core4 projects beyond the ends of the same and is preferably composed of a bunch of wires, or is otherwise laminated.

Hung to a projecting bracket 5 011 each of the end standards is an armature 6, coacting with the corresponding pole of the electromagnet 3, and secured to said armature is a springarm 7, whose free end acts upon a knob or button 8 at the upper end of a cylinder 9, the latter fitting snugly to, but being capable of vertical movement on, a post '10, which is preferably grooved, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The cylinder 9 carries a bent metallic arm 11, and secured to said arm is a bent arm 12, of insulating material, through which passes the lower portion of a rod 13, whose upper portion passes through an opening in the inclosing box or cover 14 of the device, and is provided at its upper end with a knob or button 15,- between which and the top of the casing 14: is interposed a coiled spring 16, which tends to elevate the rod 13, the latter having at the lower end a projecting finger 18 and some distance above the same and above the guiding portion of the arm 12 a collar 17.

On the base 1 are two binding-posts 19 and 20, which are connected, respectively, to the positive and negatiye terminals of the electric circuit to be controlled by the device, and which contains the sparking device of the gasburner in case the invention is applied to an electric gas-lighting system. The post 19 is connected to one of the terminals of the magnet-coil 3, and the other terminal of'the latter is connected to the post 10. The bindingpost 20 is connected to a spring contact-finger 21, which when the cylinder 9 is in the depressed position shown in Fig. 1 contacts with the bent arm 11, the current then passing from the post 20 to the post l9through said contact-finger 21, arm 11, cylinder 9, post 10, and coil 3. When the cylinder 9 is raised on the post, however, as shown in Fig.

'2, the contact-finger 21 passes from contact with the arm 11 and into contact with the insulating-arm 12, so as to break the circuit between the binding-posts.

Supposing, for instance, that the device is located in the line of an electric gas-lighting system and that the parts are in their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, the establishment of a current in the line energizes the coil 3 and causes the armatures 6 to be attracted to the opposite poles of the magnet, thereby imparting tension to the springarms 7 or so increasing the normal tension of the same that they will act to lift the cylinder 9, whose rise is retarded by reason of the comparatively snug fit of the same to the post 10, the said cylinder and post'constituting, in effect, an inverted dash-pot. Such a current will be established in the line when the sparking lever of the gas-burner does not complete its full return movement after producing a spark and happens to remain in con tact with the opposite terminal. Hence if the current is not broken the battery will soon be run down. When the cylinder 9, however, has'risen to such a height that the contact-finger 21 leaves the arm 11, as shown in Fig. 2, the circuit through the line will be broken and will remain broken until the parts are reset.

When it is desired to reset the device, the rod 13 is depressed, the first effect of such action being to cause the toe 18 to act upon the contact-finger 21 so as to deflect the same and carry its upper end inwardly be yond the plane of the vertical portion of the arm 11, continued depression of the rod 13 causing its collar 17 to act upon the arm 12 so as to depress the same, and with it the cylinder 9, the release of pressure from the rod 16 permitting the same to rise to the position shown in Fig. 1, so'that the upper end of the contact-finger 21 can again contact with the arm 11, and thereby reestablish the circuit through the device, this operation being necessary before another spark can be produced at the burner by movement of the sparking lever of the same. 1

In carrying out my invention'lpreier to use the single-coil magnet, having a laminated core or otherwise constructed to cause such self-induction by the current traversing the windings of the coil as to produce an igniting-spark at the burner or burners interposed in the line in connection with which the cut-out device is employed.

By the use of the spring-arm in connection with the armature or with each armature when more than one is employed I am able after the circuit is closed to secure aconstant time interval regardless of the strength of current flowing through the circuit before the action of the machine opens it. This is true because the cylinder, plunger, or other retarding device is acted upon only by the resiliency of the spring-arm, a force that remains constant, whereas if the armature was provided with a rigid arm the force acting upon the retarding device would vary with the strength of current flowing through the circuit and be quicker or slower accordingly. I am also able by the use of the spring-arm to utilize the full magnetic force developed by the coil for starting the movement of the retarding cylinder, plunger, or other retard.- ing device, since by the yielding of the arm the armature is permitted to be drawn into direct contact with the pole-piece of the magnet at once, at which point it is capable of exerting through the tension of the springarm a much greater force to effect said movement than could be obtained for the same purpose if a rigid arm were employed, as in that case the starting movement would have to be effected when the armature was in position farthest from the pole-piece, and consequently least acted upon by the magnetic force developed.

It will be understood that the reaction of the spring-arm under tension is utilized to cause such movement of the circuit-breaking elements as may be necessary for the purpose. 4

I claim- 1. An electric cut-out device consisting of a spark-coil, a circuit-breaker having a movable element, an armature for said coil having resilient connection to said movable element, and means having a member rigidly connected to said movable element for retarding its action, substantially as specified.

2. An electric cut-out device consisting of a spark-coil having an armature, a circuitbreaker having a movable element, a spring connected between the armature and said movable element, a dash-pot having one of its members connected to the spring and also to the movable element of the circuit-breaker, substantially as. specified. r

3. An electric cut-out device consisting of a spark-coil having an armature, a circuitbreaker having a movable element, a spring connected between the] armature and said movable element, adash-pot having one of its members connected to the spring and also to the movable element of the circuit-breaker, with'a resetting device operative on both members ofthe circuit-breaker, substantially as specified.

at. An electric cut-out device consisting of a spark-coil having an armature, a circuit breaker having a movable element provided with resilient connection to said armature, means for retarding action of the movable element, a piece of insulating material carried by. one of the elements of the circuitbreakerfre gtting means operative on said piece of material, the fixed member of the circuit-breaker being flexible and also placed to be moved by the resetting device,.substan tially as specified.

5. An electric cut-out device in which a circuit-breaker having a moving element and an electromagnet consisting of a single coil having oppositely-facing pole-pieces are interposed in the line and are combined with a pair of armatures, one located at each end of the coil and each'connected to the movable element of said circuit-breaker, substantially as specified.

6. An electric cut-out device in which a circuit-breaker having a moving element and an electromagnet consisting of a single coil having oppositely-facing polepieces are interposed in the line and are combined with a pair of armatures, one located at each end of the coil and each having an elastic connection with the movable element of said circuit-breaker, substantially as specified.

7. An electric cut-out device in which a circuit-breaker havinga moving element and an electromagnet consisting of a single coil having oppositely-facing pole-pieces are in terposed in the line and are combined with a pair of armatures, one located at each end of the coil and each connected to the movable. element of the said circuit-breaker, and with means for retarding such movement, substantially as specified.

8. An electric cut-out device in which a circuit-breaker having a moving element and an electromagnet consisting of a single coil having oppositely-facing pole-pieces are interposed in the line and are combined with a pair of armatures, one located at each end of the coil and each having elastic connection with the movable element of said circuitbreaker, and with means for retarding such movement, substantially as specified.

9. An electric cut-out device in which a circuit-breaker having a moving element and an electromagnet consisting of a single coil having oppositely-facing pole-pieces are interposed in the line and are combined with a pair of armatures, one located at each end of the coil and which have elastic connection with the moving element of said circuitbreaker, the latter having a retarding device consisting of a cylinder connected to said movable element and mounted upon a vertical post, substantially as specified.

10. An electric cut-out device in which an electromagnet and a circuit-breaker interposed in the line and having a moving element, are combined with an armature having an elastic connection with the moving element of said circuit-breaker means for retaining said moving element of the circuit-breaker in position when the circuit is broken, and means for resetting the same, said means acting first upon one element of the circuit breaker and then upon the other, substantially as specified.

11. An electric cut-out device consisting of a spark-coil having an armature, a dash-pot, a resilient connection between one of the members of said dash-pot and the armature, a circuit-breaker having one member consisting of a metallic piece connected to the movable member of the dash-pot and a second member consisting of a spring-piece fixed to a supporting structure and normally bearing upon the first member of the circuitbreaker, with an offset piece of insulating material connected to one of the members of the circuit-breaker, and a rod normally held in an elevated position placed to engage said insulating-piece and the second member of the circuit-breaker for restoring the same to their normal positions after they have been moved therefrom, substantially as specified.

spark-coil having a fixed core and a circuitbreaker having a movable element are combined with an armature having an elastic connection with said element, and a retarding device having one member attached to the movable element of the circuit-breaker and to said elastic connection, substantially as specified.

13. An electric out out device in which a spark-coil having a fixed core and a circuitbreaker having a movable element are combined with an armature having an elastic connection with said element, and with means for retarding movement of the element, substantially as specified.

14. An electric cut-out device in which an electromagnet and a circuit-breaker interposed in the line and having a movable ele' ment, are combined with an armature having an elastic connection with said element, means for retarding operation of the circuitbreaker, means for retaining the movable element of the circuit-breaker in position when the circuit is broken, and means for resetting the same, said means acting first upon one element of the circuit-breaker and then upon the other, substantially as specified.

15. An electric cut-out device in which are combined an electromagnet, a circuit-breaker interposed in the line and having a movable element, an armature having an elastic connection with said element, means for retarding movement of the circuit-breaker, means for retaining said movable element of the circuit-breaker in position when the circuit is broken, with a resetting device, and a casing inclosing said arts, there being a portion of the resetting evice projecting through said casing and placed to serve as an indicator, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' WILLIAM o. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

MAY B. MoDERMoTT, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

